Union, N.J. (2/26/11) – Junior Vinny Galya drove in three as the #3/4 Kean University baseball team won their third straight to open the 2011 season by blanking Gwynedd-Mercy College, 8-0.

Senior Joe Bartlinski (1-0) (pictured left) earned the win for the Cougars (3-0).  He tossed seven innings of shutout ball allowing five hits and three walks while striking out eight.  Sophomores Chris Judge and Sam Fourre combined for two innings of work allowing just two hits to combine for the shutout.

Kean got things going in their half of the third as Stephen Nappe started things off with a leadoff single.  Senior Chris Carrano then executed a sacrifice that moved Nappe to second but he would move over to third on a throwing error by the Griffins (0-1) which also allowed Carrano to reach base.  Galya then drove in his first run of the afternoon with an RBI single.  Sophomore Nick Ramagli recorded an RBI with a groundout.

In the bottom of the fourth the Cougars plated three more after scoring on a miscue by Gwynedd-Mercy and a two RBI single by Galya. 

Junior Andrew Sinon suffered the loss for the Griffins.  He allowed two runs, one earned, in three innings of work in their first game of the season. 

Offensively Nappe (pictured right) was 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI while juniors D.J. Breckenridge and Dylan Laguna each recorded RBI.

For the Griffins sophomore Josh Martin was 3-for-3 while catcher Todd Budweg was 2-for-2.

The Cougars are slated to play #24/26 Eastern Connecticut State University on Sunday at 1 p.m.